Easter - Significance of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection

Updated on March 30, 2013

The Story of Easter

Easter is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day for Christians that celebrates the central event of the Christian faith, the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ. Easter is nothing concerned with religious rituals or traditions, but the resurrection of the Son of God, which is a historical event. Typically, it is the well-attended Sunday services of the year. Christians believe that Jesus came back to life or was raised from death, three days after his crucifixion. The Easter story is at the heart of Christianity and the dawn of Easter Sunday with its message of a new life to mankind is the most significant time of a Christian year.

Jesus Christ became the first begotten from the dead, which is now celebrated as Easter. All who believe in him thus became the children of almighty God. Jesus’ resurrection on the Easter morning was a real proof to all that he was really God’s son

The Easter story marks the Jesus' resurrection followed by his last days in Jerusalem before his death. This story includes the events that took place during the holy week, the week leading up to Easter. Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and buried in a cave tomb after he was crucified on Friday. In order to protect the body of Jesus from being stolen, the tomb was guarded by Roman Soldiers and an enormous stone was put over the entrance.

But Jesus’ body was found missing on Sunday by Mary Magdalene and later by some of Jesus' disciples who visited the tomb and found that the stone had been moved. Later that day Jesus himself appeared before Mary and the disciples. Thus everyone understood that God had raised Jesus from the dead. Christians call this day of his resurrection as the resurrection day or Easter.

Learn more about the holiday of Easter and it's origins.

Son of God crucified

Easter celebrations in India

Real meaning of Easter

The victory of Lord Jesus over death is the meaning of Easter. Through his death and resurrection, he paid the penalty for sin, thus purchasing for all who believe in him, eternal life in Christ Jesus. A complete verification of all that Jesus preached is also symbolised in the meaning of Easter. The Christian faith would have been is worthless and futile if Jesus Christ has not resurrected.

But the meaning of Easter was entirely different in the past. It did not symbolize Christ's resurrection from the dead and was different from what Christians celebrate today. Even though the origin of the word Easter is not certain, it has probably derived from the word “Estre”, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. The Saxons used to celebrate their festival in the early spring. Many Christian churches choose to refer to Easter as Resurrection Day, because of its pagan origin and the commercialization of Easter.

Deciding the Easter date

Easter marks the end of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline in preparation for Easter, in Western countries. The Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. But in Eastern Orthodox churches Lent is observed during the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sundaywith fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Easter. In Eastern churches Lent churches begins on Monday and Ash Wednesday is not observed.

The method of determining the Easter date is a bit complex and there are, in fact, many misunderstandings and confusions related to it. In Western churches, Easter is always celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the first full moon after the spring equinox. Since the Orthodox Easter and Western Easter are determined in different methods there are chances for the two celebrations to occur as much as five weeks apart. Hence the Western Churches have decided to establish a more standardized system for determining the date of Easter. As a result of it, discussions began as to a possible worldwide agreement on a consistent date for the celebration. But no resolution has been reached yet.

Recent and upcoming dates of Western Easter are as follows:

2013 March 31

2014 April 20

2015 April 5

2016 March 27

2017 April 16

The death of Jesus was a part of God’s eternal plan that Jesus would die as a substitute payment for the sins of men. The death of Jesus was the death of one who was sinless, on behalf of those who were sinners. Today Christians honour Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection from the dead, and his glorious promises of eternal life for all who believe in him.

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Comments 2 comments

I consider that resurrection and death are not appropriate words for Jesus if he lived many years after the crucifixion and left into light. We can not find the truth about Jesus in the Bible.

Kevin Peter 3 years ago from Global Citizen Author

Its true that we human beings cannot understand Jesus Christ completely. There are many more unknown facts connected with him. But since we came to know something about him through the bible, we should find the truth from it.